NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
January 15, 2025
Nature Moncton members as well as any
naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos
and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily
edition of Nature News
To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the
information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .
Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
and proofreader Louise Nichols at Nicholsl@eastlink.ca if
any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website
at www.naturemoncton.com.
Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols
** Frank
Branch in Paquetville has had a Merlin and an American Goshawk around
his birdfeeder yard for almost a week now. He comments that activity from his
usual patrons has dropped by 90%.
He captured a photo of the male Merlin Wednesday morning.
(Editor’s note: the AOU has renamed our Northern Goshawk
to American Goshawk to separate it from the European Goshawk. Hope Frank is
able to get a photo as we don’t often get one coming to check feeder yards.)
**Deborah Carr has had an Orange-crowned Warbler
as a regular patron to her Riverside-Albert birdfeeder yard and was able to get
a photograph.
Any warbler to a birdfeeder yard in winter is special!
**Mac and Brenda Wilmot were certain they had one Carolina
Wren around their yard all summer but had never seen two at the same time.
They were just able to get a video that shows they do indeed have a pair. Check
out the two links below. One shows the two wrens together, and the vocalization can be
heard in the second video.
**Louise Nichols was turning onto Etter Ridge Rd. in
Aulac when she saw the familiar rocking flight and strong dihedral of a Turkey
Vulture soaring nearby, a strange sight in January in this area of the
province. She was able to get out of the car in time to snap a quick
photo just before it disappeared behind the trees.
**Jane LeBlanc had a single female Evening Grosbeak
show up in her St. Martins yard Wednesday after an absence of several weeks.
The Golden-crowned Kinglet continues to stymie her photography attempts.
(Editor’s note: at first glance, Jane’s photo looks quite
bright for a female, but the short tail with the white tail spots indicates a
female.)
**Nature Sussex Outing (with Nature Moncton members
welcome to join in.)
Date/Time:
January 18 (Saturday) 10 am
Topic:
Lichen Walk with Dr. Stephen Clayden
Details:
Botanist /Lichenologist Stephen Clayden will lead an easy winter walk in
the Jones Creek area ( Apohaqui) exploring some of the lichens hosted on trees
and taller rocks ( depending on snow depths!) in this part of the Kennebecasis
watershed. Learn the names, habitat
preferences, and interesting lifecycle of this often-overlooked
partnership of algae and fungi. The
session will consist of roughly an hour outside collecting and discussing, with
an equal amount of time indoors, taking a more in-depth look through
microscopes and a short presentation.
There may be some uneven ground and snow (!) This outing
site may require snowshoes and/or hiking
poles.
Meet at the Apohaqui Community Ctr (16 Jones Memorial
Park Rd, Apohaqui) at 10:00 AM.
As the weather can be quite unpredictable at this time of
year, I’d ask that if you are at all interested in this outing, please email or
call kellyhoneyman@xplornet.ca or (506)
832-7582 so that postponement or other additional tour details can be passed
along efficiently.
(Editor’s note: Stephen Clayden is an excellent and very
knowledgeable resource person on lichens. This will be a great hands-on outing
to learn more about something we pass so frequently all year long and don’t
stop to appreciate.
Nelson Poirier will be going with seating room available.
Send an email if interested in participating.)
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
